Monday, January 31, 2011

Snowmageddon?

Snowmageddon?

This impending snow storm is screwing up all my plans, so if it doesn't actually hit us I am going to be VERY upset with our histrionic television weather people.

If it DOES hit, I hope the complete DVD set of The Larry Sanders Show makes its way to me in time for me to huddle in front of the TV and catch up with old episodes while the snow drifts / dunes pile against my door.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Do you like rock and/or roll?

Do you like rock and/or roll?

Do you? Of course you do! What a silly question. One of my absolute favorite new local groups is playing tonight at Martyrs'. Their name is Clip Art and you should become acquainted with them; your life will be better for it. If you like super catchy stuff a la '70s rawk a la kinda like Paul McCartney / Wings if either truly had balls a la Jellyfish with none of that resulting stiffness a la just really good fucking tunes ripped out by a band you simultaneously wanna kiss and punch then you should not miss their show tonight.

ADDED BONUS: Clip Art is opening for and then playing as the backing band of one Dick Prall, himself no stranger to constructing music that is good and good for you.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Cello! Cello! Cello! Cello! Cello! Cello! Cello! Cello!

Cello! Cello! Cello! Cello! Cello! Cello! Cello! Cello!

File this under "Must See" videos and not just because it's one of my favorite slices of live footage by any band of all time. It's a performance by The Who that was so wildly primal and terrific it made John Lennon look like a scared little girl, so threatened The Rolling Stones that they refused to release the movie it was taken from for decades, and caused GalPal to fall head over heels in love with what she now refers to as "Young Keith Moon."

Strap yourself in and let's unleash this beast.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

CHIRP it up, baby.

CHIRP it up, baby.

Today is one of those days where seriously, nothing has slowed down. High velocity all the way baby. That's why I'll be happy to take a brief respite tonight at Schubas for the CHIRP "First Time" reading series.

The readers include Josh Caterer, Susan Messing, Erin Shea, Jim DeRogatis, Matt Spiegel, James VanOsdol and Robbie Fulks. The music will be provided by the lovely Steve and Liam of Frisbie.

I will be there and so should you. It kicks off at 8 p.m.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Oh hi. Are you following me? In all of these places? You should be!

Oh hi. Are you following me? In all of these places? You should be!

So it's time for a quarterly check-in of all the places you can find me online. Well, not ALL of the places, but all of the places I tend to post unique content. Sometimes I do cross and duplicate something here or there across platforms, but for the most part I try to tailor what I post / write / rant about to the appropriate online venue.

You are here, so you know where to find my long standing blog. Good for you. If you want to follow the brief things I might post throughout the day then you probably want to visit my Tumblr regularly. There's some fun stuff there, I promise.

If you want to know just how incredibly witty or profane I can get in 140 characters or less than you should probably be following me on Twitter (and if you are one of those that doesn't want to sign up for a Twitter account, you can still subscribe to my Twitter feed's RSS feed. Wow!)

Speaking of RSS feeds, I read A LOT of them, so if you're interested in seeing what I skim off that ocean of information and share as particularly interesting maybe you want to check into my Google Reader Shared Items page. Again, chock full of good stuff.

And, duh, CHICAGOIST! That's where my "big boy" music and events writing appears (almost) daily.

So that's the main four outlets* you should be regularly checking EVERY FIFTEEN MINUTES OF EVERY DAY so you can be caught up on all things Tankboy related. Whoo!

*Unless you have met me face to face and aren't stalking me, in which case you can gain entry into my heavily guarded (riiiight) Facebook profile.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Well, this just made my Monday WAAAAY better.

Well, this just made my Monday WAAAAY better.

I am unapologetic in my love for Avril.

Wherein I gripe but have hope.

Wherein I gripe but have hope.

So over the weekend I sent the following thought into the interwebs:
Music writing should excite and/or educate. If you're trying to impress people or you're condescending, you're doing it wrong.
Chew on it, come back and let me know what you think. I had a limit of 140 characters or less so I didn't have much room for subtlety. I will delve into the subject more deeply in a few days, but you should know it is borne both by the explosion of bad writing on the web and by the sad slide of once goof writers who are sliding into whining insularity.

And, please, do not get me wrong, I still think there are many good music writers out there, writers whom I greatly enjoy reading, writers like J. Loftus who responded to me saying, "Let's keep making it better."

We will.

A quick thought on yesterday's sporting events in the U.S.A.

A quick thought on yesterday's sporting events in the U.S.A.

It is no secret that sports do not connect with me like they do with the majority of the population. I tried to get into them for much of my first 16 or so years on the planet but I'm missing whatever gene it is that allows that particular strain of fandom to take root. However I will admit to feeling a little envious that so many people can get so passionate and deeply invested in activities that have absolutely zero real effect on their world. I don't mean that in a condescending way, I swear. I am a fellow who has difficulty really losing his shit over anything so I am honestly in awe that there is something out there that can effect so many and cause them to completely lose their minds.

Also, we drove to the 'burbs yesterday and there was ZERO traffic because of the games. As GalPal said, "I knew this Bears versus Packers game was a bif deal but I had no idea it was THIS big a deal that it could effect an entire city's traffic!"

NOTE: I guess there is one aspect of a sporting event I can connect with. I've been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys' cheerleaders since I was, I kid you not, three or four.

Friday, January 21, 2011

I am a complete nerd.

I am a complete nerd.

It is true, as if you needed me to tell you, that underneath this ultra cool (and I guess at times menacing if you don't know me, but honestly, I am just a giant pussycat in a leather jacket) there beats the heart of a true music fan, devoutly loyal to those bands I believe consistently "bring it" -- though "it" can be and is redefined depending on the situation -- and since Free Energy has tirelessly proved they are one of those bands I was particularly tickled when I discovered the following tweet.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Wanna know what it's like to fist pump to music that's actually GOOD?!

Wanna know what it's like to fist pump to music that's actually GOOD?!

If you wanna punch the air like there's no tomorrow to tunes that are as far away from the Jersey Shore as can be, then I recommended you get thee to Double Door tonight to see Free Energy. Don't miss it, since they won't be back for a while!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Man, that was a weird night's sleep (or lack thereof).

Man, that was a weird night's sleep (or lack thereof).

Woke up on the couch at 2 a.m. to discover this in my inbox (click to enlarge):


Honestly? Snoozeville! Outside the Death From Above 1979 reunion (they NEVER let me down live when I saw them in the past) and the Stateside appearance by Suede the whole thing looks like a rehash of festival bills past. The one thing that set Coachella apart in the past, aside from being first on the ground each year, was throwing in an actual surprise or two as a headliner, but this year their roster is actually looking like its pilfered wholesale from the last few Lollapaloozas. Also, we've probably officially run out of bands to play festivals so I guess this was inevitable.

After seeing that, but certainly not sparked by it, my sleep was intermittent at best due to a series of KEE-razy and vivid dreams. One included the prison castration of one dream's bad guy at the behest of his one-time henchman; a duo me and Lizz and my boss at work put behind bars after a plot to kill me was thwarted by some quick detective work. It was kind of like Wonder Boys meets Wall Street meets Saw, and I have no idea what prompted it, unless falling asleep to Tosh.0 earlier in the evening somehow poisoned my mind.

Or maybe my mind is just so excited to see Free Energy one last time at Double Door tonight before they get off the road for a while it's short circuiting and triggering this stuff.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Should I have said something?

Should I have said something?

Yesterday, after for shopping for sofas in the 'burbs all day long, we decided to try out a new-ish sushi restaurant a few block from our house. It was nice enough, and when I ordered I asked if they could make me kani maki, a roll with nothing but rice and crap, and the server said it would be no problem. It wasn't on the menu, but they did serve pieces of kani, and it didn't seem like the order seemed weird to our server. The rolls came and they were fine and then the check cam and my eyes popped out of my head when I realized my rolls cost $14 each! I was expecting to play a slight up-charge -- most rolls were about $6 so I though $8 or so would've been reasonable -- but that seemed a bit excessive. I mean, the monster rolls on their specials menu ran $14 or so, but these didn't have nearly enough crab meat in them to even remotely qualify as monsters.

I paid without saying anything. Should I have asked the price when ordering (which has always struck me as tacky) or should I have said something once we got the check? Or did I do the righ thing just wordlessly paying even though that I'll probably never eat at that particular restaurant again?

Monday, January 17, 2011

It was fun but...

It was fun but...

This extended holiday weekend was from what I remember a whole bunch of fun. But it was also a reminder that perhaps, finally, it's time for me to grow up a little. It was maybe a great time to sort of retire the more party hearty aspects of my personality since it was a weekend full of good friends and great times. Like they say on Broadway, you always want to leave on a high note, right?

Hoo boy!

Friday, January 14, 2011

It's rather obvious, really.

It's rather obvious, really.

GalPal is going out of town for the weekend, so of course I am planning and anticipating a Saturday night full of beer, bourbon and falling asleep on my couch with a slice of pizza in my lap as the sun comes up. Good times!

Of course what will actually happen is this: I will go out with friends and sometime around 11 p.m. I’ll realize my gal is out of town and I have no one to really go home to and then I’ll mull that over and eventually I’ll probably head home even earlier than usual because I’ll come to the (semi-grown-up) understanding that it’s sort of pointless to be out.

Of course this response, while seeming initially sweet, perhaps betrays something darker under the surface. The endless push and pull that underlies every relationship is never resolved -- I think if that happens stagnation takes hold and each partner begins to die from the inside out – but I think it’s important to at least be aware of it. This is one of those situations that perhaps illustrates the best and the worst of that.

Also, as painfully cliché as it sounds, we don’t really truly appreciate what we have until we notice its absence. For that simple reason I highly recommend (assuming you have a partner) you occasionally make time to be away from each other, because that first kiss upon being reunited is the closest thing to knowing what it must be like to regain a phantom limb you may ever know.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

If you live in Chicago, and enjoy beautiful sounding things, here is what you must do tonight.

If you live in Chicago, and enjoy beautiful sounding things, here is what you must do tonight.



Man, I've been writing online copy for too long, I've already spilled the whole call to action in the headline! So much for the sneaky reveal. Seriously though, if you love music, you MUST see The Besnard Lakes at Lincoln Hall tonight. I raved about them earlier last year, and they easily made my list of the top twenty albums of 2010, and they don't come to Chicago that often (they're rom way up in the wilds of Canadia) so this qualifies as a CAN'T MISS SHOW.

Yeah, I know from the photo above they look like a bunch o' free lonvin' hippes but I assure you they most certainly are now. They are loud, choral, beautiful, menacing, enticing, and aurotic. When we saw them in Millenium Park last spring their show had a spiritual quality but I suspect that the smaller room of Lincoln Hall will transform the band into a much heavier presence.

Further enticement? GalPal and I will be there, so you can honor yourself by buying us beers.

Even further enticement? Here's a tune to sample. I'll see you there tonight.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Become a better person with my help.

Become a better person with my help.

I AM WATCHING YOU.

A few quick links today to help you improve your life:

Black Keys > Vampire Weekend

Black Keys > Vampire Weekend

Set aside nine minutes of your day and watch this. The ONLY thing that would make this clip better would be if Colbert actually started to club Koenig with that tire iron.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
MeTunes - Grammy Vote - Dan Auerbach, Patrick Carney & Ezra Koenig<a>
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical Humor & Satire Blog</a>Video Archive

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

I refuse to discuss the following topics.

I refuse to discuss the following topics.


Wow, there’s so much to write about out there I think I’d rather figure out what I don’t want to write about.
  • The iPhone coming to Verizon – I already have an unlimited data plan, and as for coverage you betcha Verizon’s network will get just as clogged as AT&T’s. So, whatever. Competition’s nice, though.
  • Arizona – It’s just too depressing. We, as a nation, must come to our senses before it’s too late.
  • The Cape – This show looks stupid, but everyone and their brother wrote about it today, leading me to believe critics are even more stupid (sometimes) for even thinking this superhero show should be taken seriously. (Also, morons that missed the (admittedly weak) reference, Robin, of Batman fame, was trained by circus folk.)
  • Chicago’s mayoral race – All you ever need to know about who to vote for if you are a (living or dead) Chicago resident is right here. http://twitter.com/#!/MayorEmanuel
  • What Did I Do Last Night? - I don’t want to know. That is one TV show I would never want to be on. I’m only interested in what YOU did last night.
Oh crap, by listing what I wasn’t going to talk about, I went right ahead and ended up talking about the things I wasn’t going to talk about. Dang!

Monday, January 10, 2011

Lookit this handsome mug!

Lookit this handsome mug!

Click on through to the full post, but I made it on the interwebs as today's Mugshot Monday!

Friday, January 07, 2011

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Status quo check-in.

Status quo check-in.

File this under indulging my curiosity, but now that we're back to the regular swing of things -- folks are back from vacation and those of us lucky enough to be employed are all back in the office -- what is the general mood around you? This time last year the first week of the new year felt like an extended Monday but this year, at least in my immediate orbit, people seem energized and vibrant and generally happier.

How is your new year going so far?

Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Another tip for the new year or "What the hell is wrong with me, am I trying out for my own show on OWN or something, where's the snark?!"

Another tip for the new year or "What the hell is wrong with me, am I trying out for my own show on OWN or something, where's the snark?!"


All this week GalPal has been struggling with getting up early and going to the gym in the morning before work.* And every morning she just hasn't been able to do it. And that's OK. And I mean that for everyone. Some folks just are not built to be up and productive too early in the day. I know for years and years I wasn't. I've never needed much sleep, so that helps, but once upon a time you couldn't drag me out of bed before 7 a.m. Once you get into an early a.m. routine, though, it's easy to keep it up, but I still think the hardest part of even doing that is getting out of the bed and NOT feeling like a zombie (who wants to crawl right back into bed) for the first five minutes. Since we don't all have robots to deliver us coffee the second our alarm goes off (and if you do, may I borrow use of it?) here's a certified Tankboy Tip (trademark pending) for keeping things going once you launch yourself (or roll) out from under your comfy bed.
  1. Do 10-20 push-ups
  2. Do 10-20 sit-ups
  3. Do 10-20 knee bends
  4. Now streeeeeetch to the ceiling
  5. Now streeeeeetch to the floor
  6. You're awake!
I know, I know, it sounds kind of stupid, but I think you'd be surprised at how much that gets the blood going and helps jump-start your day.

*The reason for this is less new year's resolution and more a desire to avoid after-work Resolutionaries at the gym.

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Keep your fitness resolution without becoming a Resolutionary.


Are you one of the vast number of folks who have pledged that January 1 is the moment when you decide to get healthier and start going to the gym? If so, I honestly congratulate you and hope you do end up making it a permanent part of your daily routine. However I ask that you do NOT become a Resolutionary. These are the folks that swarm into the gym from January through February, slowly disappearing over that time span, and generally fuck things up for everyone else. So I’ve decided to pass along a few tips to help you from becoming a Resolutionary. These are the sorts of things I never see in magazine articles about "fulfilling your new year's resoultions at the gym" that flood pages (and pageviews) this time of the year, so I hope you find this helpful.

Limit your time on the machines. If the place is packed, spending more than 30 minutes on a treadmill or elliptical machine is just unforgivably rude. Also, please note that you will get far more benefit from exercising against high resistance / at a higher speed for 20 minutes than you will for languidly moving your legs back and forth / strolling for 60 minutes. Just because you spend a lot of time on a machine does not necessarily equate to you actually getting fit.

Gym crushes are 100% OK to have and 100% NOT OK to act upon.* We all have gym crushes, usually on the cute boy(s) or girl(s) who work out around the same schedule you do. You admire their efforts, you admire their looks, you admire your dedication, and you admire all of this from a distance. Everyone knows people check each other out at a gym, c’mon, we’re all wearing little to no clothing for the most part, and we're all fighting to look and feel our best so there's definite a sense of community bubbling under there, but it is a social contract that we never creep each other out by actually acknowledging it while working out.

Speaking of social contracts, when you’re changing in the locker room, especially if it’s a high traffic time of day like early morning or right after work, please try to be cognizant of the space you take up. Most locker rooms are small but they have plenty of room for everyone to do their pre- or post-workout thing. This is not the time to lay your towel over some stools, your gym bag across some others, and sit in yet another while clipping your toenails.

Finally, do a little research before you go to the gym. Plan out what your workout will look like and check out how to work machines either at a library or online. Believe me, I remember when I started going to the gym and I know if can be a little overwhelming. Instead of wandering around slightly scared and confused though, a little preparation ahead of time can remove a lot of stress and pressure that may ultimately turn you off to working out at all.

So there you have it, a few super simple starting points to use if you want to avoid becoming a Resolutionary. Again, if you want to get healthier, I think that’s terrific and offer you my unending support. Just please try and remember to remain courteous to your fellow gym members while pursuing your goal.

BONUS TIP: I’ve talked about it before, and I’m sure I’ll talk about it again, but if you have an iPhone a terrific little tool to help you keep track of and attain your fitness goals is the LoseIt! app.

*One of my crushes was recently ruined when I finally saw her boyfriend and realized she was dating a complete douchebag. Of course then I had to step back and wonder how many guys have a gym crush on GalPal only to see me walk up to her, disappointing them that SHE is dating a complete douchebag.

Monday, January 03, 2011

Are you ready to do this, people?

Are you ready to do this, people?

Today is the first day most folks, including me, are heading back into work after a short vacation. I feel great. In fact I feel even more rested and ready to get back into the thick of things than I did after going to Jamaica early last month. I feel positive and recharged. It's a good feeling to start off the first Monday of a new year, methinks.

2010 was a pretty good year for me. There were a few speed bumps -- almost all of my own making -- but overall it was a good twelve months. However I feel like things are really starting to come together for me now, on a number of different levels, leaving me with the initial impression that ne and mine are gonna crush it in 2011.

I hope you're getting the same vibe in your own outlook!